Today we are proud to announce after very careful consideration we are endorsing Tim Walz for Governor in Minnesota. We have many friends that have declared for this race or were thinking about a run. Because of that, we made sure to put together a thorough member driven endorsement process that would ensure all candidates had a fair shot at earning the support of our union.

Our screening committee had members from every corner of the state representing every industry that we work in. We invited all candidates that were declared and those friends who were thinking of running, from both political parties. We went to all of our union meetings in Minnesota to talk to members about the endorsement and get their feedback. Finally, every member of our union had a chance to vote on the recommendation of the committee online. The members strongly supported this endorsement, and we are proud of the inclusive process we put together to make this decision.

Local 49 was one of the first unions to endorse Tim Walz when he was a local football coach and teacher looking to unseat an entrenched incumbent Republican Congressman in the heavily Republican 1st District. Incumbents in districts that slant to their party win 99% of the time. Tim managed to defy the odds and win that race, and has fended off challengers every year since. He won because he is just like all of us. He is our neighbor, our kids teacher, our kids coach, someone that can relate to our concerns.

Tim has demonstrated his support for the blue collar workers of his district and of this nation with his strong commitment to infrastructure jobs, and his unwavering commitment to critical labor issues like prevailing wage laws that ensure construction workers earn a good days pay for a hard days work. He has also earned our respect with his long service to his nation in the Minnesota National Guard. No other industry in Minnesota has a higher percentage of veterans among its workforce than construction, and our members greatly value service to our nation.

We are proud to say that after winning his first race, and fighting for blue collar construction workers as an elected official for more than a decade, he is still the same person that ran the first time. Politics almost always changes people. Politics hasn’t changed Tim Walz, and we are incredibly proud to stand with him in this new adventure. We are also excited to support Tim’s running mate, State Representative Peggy Flanagan. We don’t have a long history with Peggy, but we are getting to know her, and her intelligence and authenticity are unmistakable. We don’t align on every issue, but with Peggy, it is clear that she believes in what she and Tim are talking about on the trail – the need to bring people together, get beyond talking points rhetoric, and find solutions to complicated problems to get things done. We believe in that vision as well, and look forward to those conversations along the way. Lastly, we want to point out another factor in our endorsement.

We believe Tim Walz is the candidate in the race most likely to bring urban and rural communities together. We have been critical of some in the DFL party in recent years because in our view, they have not paid enough attention to the concerns of people outside the metro area. There are some DFL activists who believe they can win elections simply by appealing to the big cities and ignoring rural voters. Our members are those rural voters, and that thinking has completely divided the DFL party. Tim Walz is trying to get beyond those divides. He will speak to rural voters concerns because he is a rural voter, and he ran and won in a rural district. Now more than ever it is critical for all candidates from either party to be thinking about how we unite people and how we stop dividing them.

Tim Walz is that candidate in our judgement. Our close to 14,000 members are the backbone of this state. They get up every day and build and maintain the infrastructure that allows us all to enjoy a great quality of life in Minnesota. We know that Tim Walz understands who we are, and we know he has our back. We are proud to get his back now, helping him become the next Governor of the great state of Minnesota.

Below is a message from Local 49 Political Director, Jason George, regarding Local 49’s political endorsements and the full list of Local 49 endorsed candidates. Click on the candidate’s name to link to more information about them.

Local 49 has endorsed candidates for local elections this year. As I hope you know, we stick to a philosophy that guides our recommendations for endorsement – we will work with anyone, from any political party that supports your jobs and your union. We endorse both democrats and republicans that support you. This isn’t always easy, both political parties would prefer we always endorsed them, but we respect the fact that our members are pretty split between conservatives, independents, and democrats and candidates from any party should earn our support.

This year there are only local elections, school board, mayor, school levies etc…so you will see that is where we focused. However you vote is your decision, these are simply our recommendations. Whatever you do in the ballot box, please make sure you get out and vote. It’s important, it is our right, and the decisions made by elected officials impact your jobs and your union. As always if there are any questions about this give me a call. Members over the years have disagreed with our endorsements sometimes, but I hope you always know I’m willing to talk through those issues with you always.

AFSCME Council 5 recently published an article regarding the fight against Right-to Work in Iowa.

DULUTH – Danny Homan says he’d give up his right arm to not have to tell AFSCME Council 5 members the story he was about to tell.
“This hurts,” he says. “What they have done to public employees in Iowa, 184,000 of them, is criminal.”
Homan is the president of AFSCME Council 61 in Iowa. He spoke at the Council 5 statewide Annual Convention in Duluth Oct. 6.
Homan says he’s not scared of “right to work,” which Iowa’s been since 1947. It’s what has happened in the past seven months that’s been so appalling.
“The Republicans took control, and they became drunk on power. The problem is, they had not found AA,” Homan says. “There is not a Democrat in our state that has voted for any of the insanity that’s going on in Iowa.”
A half dozen GOP legislators developed anti-union legislation behind closed doors, supported by the Koch Brothers’ Americans for Prosperity. The lawmakers kept telling AFSCME leaders the bill wasn’t ready for viewing.
Then they unveiled it on Feb. 7, managed to simultaneously march it through the GOP-led House and Senate in just 12 hours, and approved it on Feb. 16. Republican Gov. Terry Branstad signed it into law the next day.
Public sector unions could no longer deduct dues from worker paychecks – even though it was still OK to deduct for credit card bills, United Way, vision and dental. Before every new contract negotiation, locals had to recertify – at union expense.
“There was no three-year phase-in period,” Homan says. “Our rights were taken away immediately.”
Public sector unions could still negotiate base wages, but the list of what most public sector unions (outside of police and fire) could not negotiate was long:
• Wages including steps
• Health insurance
• Evaluation and grievance procedures
• Retirement systems
• Leaves for political activity
• Uniforms
• Staff reduction procedures
• Supplemental pay
• Privatization
Starting in October, Council 61 will have to hold 40 recertification elections for 40 bargaining units; the Iowa State Education Association has to hold 2,040.
Iowa Republicans also barred counties from raising the minimum wage; gutted workers’ compensation; required both photo identification and signature verification at the polls; limited the right to sue for medical malpractice or asbestos; defunded Planned Parenthood; and made deep cuts in services.
“This group of Republican bandits has taken a $950 million surplus seven years ago and turned into $350 million deficit,” Homan says.
Back in 2016, Homan expected bad news was coming as soon as he heard the election results: “I knew at 3 o’clock in the morning we were screwed. I believed they would do to us what they did in Wisconsin: This is Wisconsin on steroids.”
But Homan and Council 61 refused to quit.
“I get up and do a job I thoroughly love and do a job where I fight for people, some of whom can’t fight for themselves,” he says. “That’s what all of you do. I’m going to fight every day of my life until I retire to get those rights back for my membership.”
Council 61 had learned by watching what happened when Gov. Scott Walker set out to destroy unions in Wisconsin.
“All we got by taking control of that state Capitol is we got smelly,” Homan says. “We couldn’t win the fight that way.”
Homan directed workers and leaders to extend every contract they could: They succeeded with all but 15.
Instead of holding massive rallies, members took legislators on where they live in their home communities. They packed town hall meetings with 200 to 300 people confronting Republican legislators and supporting Democrats who had supported them. Council 61 figured out how to let members pay dues by credit card.
Homan, who routinely holds 90 town hall meetings a year with members, continued doing so, but used the time to warn them about what was coming and to listen.
The state contract, which was a book a year ago, is now down to a single page plus a lot of job classifications. Yet Council 61 signed back up 5,500 members, and more than 2,000 are now MVPs (strong contributors to their political action committee).
“The employer cannot take your union away from you,” Homan says. “Only you can give it up. I’ll be goddamned if I’m giving up my union. I don’t want your pity. In Iowa, we are going to kick their ass in November. We are going to take charge of our state.”
He challenged AFSCME Council 5 members to talk to feepayers and other members, and to turn out in force next November to vote.
“If you lose your next governor’s election and your House and Senate maintain the same makeup, you will have this bill here in Minnesota. I don’t want that for anybody,” he says. “The only way we’re going to survive is if we lock arms . We’re going to fight, and we’re going to be here, and we’re going to continue to support our union.”
Leaving Duluth Homan was off to the Oregon AFL-CIO convention with his message. “I’m here to tell you to get off your ass and get engaged and do the work so that this doesn’t happen here,” the Northwest Labor Press quoted him as saying to those delegates.

Congress will soon vote on the Tribal Labor Sovereignty Act of 2017. This legislation will exempt Indian Tribes from the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), which will strip hundreds of thousands of American workers, including thousands of Operating Engineers, of their labor rights. The vast majority of these employees are not even Native American. Please contact your elected officials now!

Passage of this legislation will result in employees with collective bargaining agreements at tribal commercial enterprises, such as casinos, losing their hard-won bargaining rights. It will also have the effect of permanently dashing any hopes thousands of non-union workers at tribal enterprises had of improving their working conditions and bettering their lives by joining a union.

This legislation does not only effect the gaming industry, but all tribal commercial enterprises. Aside from casinos, Indian Tribes also operate in such sectors as mining and energy development, manufacturing and construction.

Political Director, Jason George, sent an e-mail to Local 49 members on February 14, 2017 updating them on Prevailing Wage, Transportation and Right to Work.

A lot is happening at Local 49, here is an update from the last couple of weeks:

Local 49 Lobby Day

It is very important that we have members attend Lobby Day this year on February 28th. To be blunt, RSVPs are not good so far. I can’t emphasize enough that we need a good turnout on this day. This is your chance to do something for your jobs. Transportation funding is critical to every 49er no matter what you do.

We will have busses at the Minneapolis hall to take us to the Capitol, also if you live outstate call your local union hall they will have busses coming to Minneapolis as well.

Transportation Funding Update

I have had a lot of conversations in the last month on this. I have spoken to Republican and Democratic Leaders both in the House and Senate and the Governor’s office. This year we have joined forces with the business community to support the outline of a compromise package that we believe can pass.

We are building momentum at the Capitol, and there is a lot of support for the plan we are putting forward. There are some roadblocks that we will need to overcome.

I can report that we have had several productive meetings on this issue in the last couple of weeks. The prevailing wage bills that have been introduced so far are not gaining a lot of support in either the House or the Senate and are not moving right now, which is good. I will be keeping a close eye on this and if something does start moving in Minnesota we will need you to weigh in with your legislators.

We are also working up some plans to engage the public, and in particular non-union construction workers, more on prevailing wage. There is so much misinformation out there being pushed by people that want to lower your wages, we need to be talking more about prevailing wage, how it works, and why it is important for all construction workers. We will be doing that in the coming weeks and have a couple of campaign ideas.

Also a quick note, in Washington DC prevailing wage repeal bills are being introduced right now. These bills are not getting a lot of traction, many Republicans in both the House and the Senate do not support repeal of Davis/Bacon prevailing wage. We have a Davis/Bacon supporting Republican Congressman here in Minnesota, 6th District Representative Tom Emmer. If you live in his district and run into him, thank him for standing with you on prevailing wage.

Right to Work Update

A quick update on this. First of all, there is nothing happening on Right To Work in the Minnesota Legislature. There are enough Republicans that do not support this legislation to prevent it from moving anywhere here right now. We need to be diligent and keep doing what we are doing to educate the public and legislators on this issue; our strategy is working right now.

As you have probably heard, national right to work legislation has been introduced by Iowa Congressman Steve King. The International Union in Washington, DC is all over this and fighting it aggressively. They sent out an email to members across the nation last week encouraging you to contact your Congressperson and express your strong opposition. Hopefully you are signed up on their emails if not you can sign up by signing up for Local 49 email on our website.

For more information on this, the IUOE has set up a website to keep you informed – please take a look and pass it around. Local 49 has done a Facebook post on this and this information is on our website as well.

If you want to call Congressman Steve King’s office and let them know you don’t appreciate him trying to destroy your union you can reach him at: 202-225-4426

Public Sector Members Under Attack

There are bills being introduced that are targeting the public sector. State Representative Steve Drazkowski has authored House File 768 that is a different way to allow for freeloaders and prevent unions from charging for the services they provide. There continues to be a small number of Republican legislators that don’t value public employees, and continue to try to destroy their unions. I am happy to report there are a growing number of Republicans that don’t believe this is the right thing to do.

I am also happy to report that Governor Dayton has said publicly that he will not sign bills like this. For the next two years, these proposals are simply dead on arrival in my opinion. Local 49 public employees should pay attention to who is attacking them and we will fight these kinds of proposals every step of the way, but these bills will not become law as long as Governor Dayton is in office.

Local 49 is hosting a Day of Action in support of our endorsed candidates in Anoka County. We will hit the doors, talking to other union construction workers about why we support Marsha Van Denburgh and Nyle Zikmund for County Board. Please join us on Saturday, October 15th at 10:00 AM at either the Blaine or Ramsey location. Lunch will be provided after the door knock!

When: Saturday, October 15th, 2016 from 10AM-2PM

Where: Two locations; Blaine for Nyle Zikmund and Ramsey for Marsha Van Denburgh

Heitkamp Joins U.S. Army Corps Leaders and Local Officials in Fargo for Agreement Signing to Implement Lasting Fargo-Moorhead Flood Protections

Long a Champion of Red River Valley Flood Protections, Senator Helped Secure Key Federal Resources for Permanent Solutions, including new Construction Start

FARGO, N.D. – U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp, long an advocate for strong, lasting flood protection solutions in North Dakota, today joined key U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officials in Fargo for the official signing of an agreement to initiate construction of the Fargo-Moorhead diversion.

Today’s agreement sets in motion the permanent Red River Valley flood control efforts Heitkamp has long been pushing toward, including securing strong federal resources for the Army Corps to implement new construction starts in the year-end spending bill Congress passed, and successfully pressing the head of the Army Corps and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for flood protections and a new construction start for Fargo in the Corps’ 2016 work plan earlier this year. As a result of today’s partnership, the federal support Heitkamp helped secure will be formally committed to constructing the Fargo-Moorhead diversion, clearing the path to break ground on the project.

“When disasters like flooding hit North Dakota communities, we pull together to rebuild stronger than ever, and today’s agreement puts those plans into motion,” said Heitkamp. “Today, I’m proud to join the Army Corps along with Fargo and Moorhead leaders for this important step toward lasting solutions that will keep the Red River Valley region a safe place for North Dakotans to grow and raise their families. For years, I’ve been fighting for these protections – from successfully pushing for robust federal support, to pressing federal officials to commit permanent flood protection resources in North Dakota so often they are probably sick of me. By putting pen to paper with the U.S. Army Corps today, Fargo-Moorhead can begin the construction families and communities across the region need to stay protected and safe for years to come.”

Heitkamp has consistently worked to secure federal support for lasting flood protections in the Red River Valley by:

Bringing local and federal officials together to support the Fargo-Moorhead diversion project. In May 2015, Heitkamp met with city officials from Fargo and Moorheadto discuss mutual efforts to push top officials from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and OMB on using public-private partnerships to advance the project. Soon after, Heitkamp spoke with OMB Director Donovan to urge him to take action so the diversion project could continue to move forward. In total, Heitkamp spoke with Donovan four times in the last year – each time pressing him about the critical importance of federal support for this project. Last fall, Heitkamp and Lieutenant General Bostick met with the Fargo-Moorhead Diversion Authority to discuss permanent, comprehensive flood protections during his first-ever visit to Fargo.

Passing legislation securing flood protection infrastructure projects. In June 2014, the President signed into law the bipartisan bill Heitkamp pushed for – the Water Resources Reform and Development Act (WRRDA) – which supports water infrastructure projects in North Dakota including permanent flood protection for more than 200,000 residents in Fargo and surrounding area through the Fargo-Moorhead Diversion project.

Transportation Advocates Call For No Special Session Without A Long-Term Fix for Transportation Funding

Saint Paul, Minnesota (May 25, 2016)- The Associated General Contractors and the Minnesota Building and Construction Trades Council build the road, bridge, and transit infrastructure of this state. Together, they represent 350 employers and 50,000 workers who rely on state funded construction projects.

A long-term, bi-partisan agreement on transportation funding is critical for all aspects of Minnesota’s future. For years, we have been pushing elected leaders from both political parties to address our infrastructure crisis. This past session was another disappointment that jeopardizes secure funding and the future success of employers and workers in the construction industry.

About Us

This Coalition of Minnesota Transportation stakeholders includes: Laborers District Council of MN & ND, Operating Engineers Local #49, North Central States Regional Council of Carpenters, Minnesota State Building and Construction Trades Council and Associated General Contractors of Minnesota. For more information, check their web sites. To schedule interviews, contact media liaison Robb Leer (612) 701-0608 or robbl@leercommunication.com

49ers know how hard it can be to get pipeline projects permitted and start construction on these important pieces of energy infrastructure. The Dakota Access Pipeline Project is no different. Today, our International Union sent the following message to all Operating Engineers, asking them to reach out to their elected officials in Washington. Much of the DAPL is in Local 49’s jurisdiction and will certainly bring tremendous opportunities to our brothers and sisters.

Please read below and follow the links to tell the politicians in Washington to support our jobs!

The Dakota Access Pipeline Project [DAPL] is a proposed underground crude oil pipeline designed to transport 450,000 barrels of crude oil per day from the Bakken/Three Forks formations in North Dakota to Patoka, Illinois. The project will require the construction of approximately 1,168 miles of pipeline through the states of North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa and Illinois ending near Patoka, Illinois. The DAPL will create thousands of good paying jobs for Operating Engineers and other skilled workers. It will also provide significant economic benefits to the region through the purchase of goods and services from local businesses along the entire route from the projected 8,000 – 12,000 employees working on the pipeline. Take action now to urge your elected officials to urge the Army Corps of Engineers to approve this project by clicking here.

The DAPL has undergone an exhaustive nineteen-month review by the Iowa Utility Board (IUB). The IUB’s a lengthy review of DAPL included considerable public comment and environmental scrutiny. The project was ultimately issued a permit by the IUB which contains many environmental protections.

The Dakota Access Pipeline will improve overall safety to the public and environment. It will reduce crude oil shipped by truck and by rail and increase the amount shipped by pipeline. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, pipelines are the safest and most efficient means to transport crude oil, according statistics compiled by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Dakota Access Pipeline

Great news out of Iowa yesterday as the IUB unanimously approved the Dakota Access Pipeline. This 1,100 mile project runs from North Dakota, into South Dakota and over to Iowa where it will hook up with existing pipelines in Illinois. Construction is expected to start in early summer and will put hundreds of Operating Engineers to work. This is a big win and we should all be proud of the role we played.

Recently, it seems impossible to get pipeline projects approved-at least in Minnesota. Sandpiper is taking four years to get through the regulatory process. Pipeliners are leaving Minnesota to go where the work is—and taking their tax dollars with them. We need to continue to advocate for all these projects as they contribute to the success of our members, their families, and our state.

Unemployment Extension for Iron Rangers

Over 6,000 people are currently laid off on the Iron Range due to the idling of the mines. There is 20% unemployment in most communities and many local businesses are shutting their doors for good. There are nearly 1200 people who have exhausted their unemployment benefits, which is causing unbelievable hardship all across the region.

The idling of the mines is caused by illegal dumping of foreign steel into the global market. Recently, President Obama issued a 255% tariff on foreign cold-rolled steel. Although this will make a dent, it will not solve the problem. We need a 5 year ban on imported steel in order to revitalize the American market. Congressman Rick Nolan is working hard on this, but Iron Range families cannot wait for the Federal government to move forward.

Local 49 is fighting for a short term fix to help range families. We support a 26 week extension of unemployment benefits to men and women impacted by the slowdown. The UI extension has been a political football for the last few months-with politicians pinning their pet projects to the relief package. We made some good headway with week and are inching closer to a deal. We hope to get this bill passed and signed by the Governor next week. People are hurting and can’t feed their kids. Elected officials need to get serious and help the suffering families in our state.

Twin Metals

Twin Metals is a proposed underground copper/nickel mine between Babbitt and Ely. It is in the extremely early stages and has not even done initial exploratory drilling. Unfortunately, Governor Dayton issued a letter this week saying he opposes all operations of the Twin Metals project and will oppose the renewal of their mineral leases. Adding to this, St. Paul Congresswoman Betty McCollum (whose district is 300 miles away from the Iron Range) is joining activists in pushing the Bureau of Land Management, the agency that oversees mineral leases, to not renew the leases to Twin Metals.

What is most frustrating about all of this is that there is a process in place for new mining operations to explore minerals in Minnesota. It is heavily regulated by state and federal agencies at every step along the way. What these letters said this week is “to hell with the process”.
Well-funded environmental activists are wielding political influence and winning. The decision to publically oppose this particular project was not based on scientific or academic evidence. It was based on political allegiances.

I don’t know what’s next. Hopefully, this political fight won’t spill over into the Polymet discussion-which has 10 years of environmental review and 90,000 hours of research conducted by the DNR and others. We need to continue to fight for our jobs and advocate for these projects, especially once it is determined they can be done safely and without injury to Minnesota’s environment.

In the coming months, there will be public meetings on Polymet. We need you all to show up and fight with us.

Political Update: February 24th, 2016

MN State Capitol

Precinct Caucuses

This year, Minnesota’s precinct caucuses are held on Tuesday, March 1st, 2016. It is important for 49ers to participate in this process and help elect pro-49er politicians. For more information and location of your precinct caucus, visit the MN Secretary of State’s “Caucus finder.”

Caucuses also provide an opportunity to shape your party’s platform by offering resolutions. Environmental activists are pushing anti-mining resolutions at DFL caucuses. Anti-worker extremists are pushing Right to Work and anti-prevailing wage resolutions at GOP caucuses.

It is vital that we beat back these attacks and have 6 resolutions in support of our jobs and our union. Please read and download our printable resolutions to present at your caucus.

2016 Local 49 Day at the Capitol

*other trades are participating with us again this year*

When:Wednesday, March 23rd, 2016 from 10:30-4:00 PM

Where: Meet at the Local 49 Minneapolis hall. We will board buses to the Capitol and bring everyone back to the hall afterwards. We will have buses coming to Minneapolis from the outlying offices again.

Why: We need to stand together and fight for transportation funding, a billion dollar bonding bill, and against any attacks on our wages or our work.

Please RSVP by March 9th, 2016. Call or email me at 612-877-3713 or RSVP online now

Again this year is a building trades reception the night before. Members are invited to join other trades workers and legislators for an open-house reception. Food and beverages for members will be provided.

Please let Political Director Julia Donnelly know if you can come to one or both events. Make sure to send her your address so she can make sure you get an appointment with your State Senator and Representative.

Political Update: January 21, 2016

Minnesota Precinct Caucuses

This year, Minnesota’s precinct caucuses are held on Tuesday, March 1st, 2016. It is important for 49ers to participate in this process and help elect pro-49er politicians. For more information on precinct caucuses, check “MN Votes” from the MN Secretary of State. Locations for precinct caucuses in your area will be published the first week of February.

South Dakota

The campaign in South Dakota cleared a major milestone yesterday. The SD Secretary of State certified a ballot initiative submitted by one of our members, and it will be on November ballot. 49ers should be extremely proud for leading this effort and standing up for our union, our benefits, and our families.

Dakota Access

Yesterday was also a big win for the Dakota Access pipeline. The North Dakota Public Service Commission approved the pipeline. The Dakota Access is a 1,158 mile pipeline that stretches from Mountrail County, southeast into South Dakota and into Iowa. The project received approval in South Dakota in November 2015 and is expected to complete the Iowa regulatory process in February.

Recently, it seems like no big pipelines were getting approval. When states refuse to let political pressure from extreme opposition groups sway the regulatory process, big projects can make their way through the government systems and become a reality.

Iron Range

Families on Minnesota’s Iron Range were dealt another big blow this past week. Magnetation’s Plant 2 in Bovey shut its doors on Monday. 120 of our union brothers and sisters were laid off. This adds to the already 1400 direct job losses in the area, and the more than 700 downstream layoffs.

Things are really tough up there.

Many workers have exhausted their unemployment benefits and the state will need to convene a special session to extend UI benefits for these workers in need. Local 49 is fighting as hard as we can to get a special session going but that isn’t a permanent solution to this devastating problem. The federal government needs to take immediate steps to stop illegal dumping of foreign steel in the US market. Tariffs and increased taxes on foreign steel are not enough.

Recently, Congressman Nolan authored a bill to ban the import of foreign steel for five years. This would greatly help families on the Iron Range. It is not likely the bill will get approved-there are many in Congress that see it as an burden on business and pay no mind to the hardworking families impacted by this illegal practice.

2016 Local 49 Day at the MN Capitol

*other trades are participating with us again this year*

When:Wednesday, March 23rd, 2016 from 10:30-4:00 PMWhere: Meet at the Local 49 Minneapolis hall. We will board buses to the Capitol and bring everyone back to the hall afterwards. We will have buses coming to Minneapolis from the outlying offices again.Why: We need to stand together and fight for transportation funding, a billion dollar bonding bill, and against any attacks on our wages or our work.

Again this year is a building trades reception the night before. Members are invited to join other trades workers and legislators for an open-house reception. Food and beverages for members will be provided.

Polymet: Call to Action

After 10 years of stringent review, the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Polymet was released. This is an extremely important step in the process—it says the review is complete and the project can be done safely and in accordance with all state and federal laws.

Right now, the MN Department of Natural Resources wants to hear from Minnesotans about the Final EIS. We know the opposition to this project is organizing against us and trying to flood the DNR with negative comments about Polymet.

Please, take 3 minutes and follow the link below to show your support for Polymet. We cannot let extremists take away this important opportunity for 49ers, their families, and communities.

POLITICAL UPDATE: November 5th, 2015

This past Tuesday was Election Day for many local races. The cities of St. Paul, Duluth, and Maplewood had contentious election for Mayor and City Council. Local 49 endorsed candidates won in many races.

In St. Paul, endorsed City Council Candidates Amy Brendmoen, Dai Thao, Chris Tolbert, and Dan Bostrom all sailed into reelection. Since that city uses Ranked Choice Voting-where you vote for your first, second, third choice, etc-we are not sure of the outcome of the extremely contested race between Darren Tobolt and Rebecca Noeker.

In Aurora, Minnesota, Lakehead employee and pro-mining champion David Lislegard, won reelection to the city council. David’s daughter is a 49er and we are proud to have stood with him once again.

The biggest success of this past Tuesday was the overwhelming support voters showed for school levies. 90% of all levies passed, totaling over $1.8 billion in approved spending on construction. This is a huge win for all the Building Trades and communities around the state.

The biggest levy approved was for $180 million in the Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan district. Many Operating Engineers phone banked in support of the levy and for Brother Craig Angrimson, who was running for school board. Brother Craig didn’t win this time, but his efforts certainly helped get out the vote for the levy and he should be very proud of the campaign he ran.

The rest of the country didn’t have the pro-worker successes we saw here. The most devastating blow was in Kentucky, when pro-Right to Work Republican Matt Bevin was elected Governor.

Right to Work was the cornerstone issue in this campaign. Kentucky has been going to Right to Work county-by-county for some time now, in a move we believe is illegal and subverts the legislative process. Matt Bevin ran on an anti-worker platform and has pledged to make Right to Work a top priority.

Prevailing wage repeal continues to be a threat.

Yesterday, the US House of Representatives took yet another vote to destroy Davis-Bacon on federally funded highway projects. Congressman Steve King from Iowa, offers this amendment on nearly every national construction bill. You can view his floor speech by following the link. He specifically targets Heavy Equipment Operators and tries to justify why you should be paid less. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxFVXnKhJhQ&feature=youtu.be
184 Democrats, including all of those from Minnesota were joined by 54 Republicans. Once again, the only GOP Congressman from Local 49’s jurisdiction to vote with us was Tom Emmer. We appreciate Congressman Emmer’s continued support of Prevailing Wage. More politicians need to stand up for working people and against attacks on our livelihoods.

Keystone XL Pipeline was once again in the news this week. TransCanada requested to delay the final review of the pipeline project for a year after President Obama signaled that he would reject the company’s permit. Today, the US State Department rejected TransCanada’s request for delay.
This project has been the focus of anti-pipeline extremists for years. It is beyond disappointing to see our elected officials and federal agencies playing into their political games. You can read more articles on the lasted KXL news at the bottom of this email. Business Manager Glen Johnson’s statement can be found here: http://local49.org/news/keystone-xl-pipeline-approval/

More Interesting Stuff

How did anti-worker extremist Matt Bevin win in Kentucky and what does it mean for unions? The New York Times tried to answer these questions.

Fighting back in South Dakota:

Local 49 is working with members in South Dakota on a ballot initiative designed to challenge the fact that we are the only organization in America that is forced by law to provide services to people that are allowed to pay nothing for those services.

This is of course the core function of Right To Work laws, and we intend to have a conversation, in a Right To Work state, about whether or not it is fair for any organization to be forced to work for free.

The ballot language is simple, it is one sentence long and reads:“Notwithstanding any other provisions of law, an organization, corporate or non-profit, has a right to collect a fee for the services that they provide”

Local 49 members in South Dakota formed a ballot initiative committee, and have been collecting signatures in support of this language. A little more than 13,000 signatures are required to place this language on the ballot in 2016 for a vote of the people. I can report the ballot committee is making great progress, and is working hard to get the necessary signatures turned in by the November 9th deadline.

For too long, Labor has conceded the argument in Right To Work states and let those that seek to destroy Unions tell the public lies about who we are and how we operate. We are going to fight back in South Dakota. We are generating significant interest from other IUOE Locals and from other Unions about this effort, there is a strong interest in fighting the assault on our Unions.

As soon as I have an update on whether or not we will officially be on the ballot, I will send a note so stay tuned.

Update on efforts in Minnesota:

We are working on building the infrastructure necessary to have a public campaign in Minnesota that highlights the value construction workers bring to this state. We are in the research phase right now.

The goal here is to share our story with the public. We know from early data, that if we can educate them about who you are, how you do business, and the value that we bring to our state and nation, that they will be less inclined to support efforts that hurt us, like Right to Work, or weakening prevailing wage.

Here is a snapshot of our work so far:

We conducted focus groups with the general public in late July to figure out what they know and what they don’t know about construction workers and our Union

In October we conducted a statewide poll to test the messages that came out of the focus groups – and to get a starting point on where the public is on issues of importance to us

Right now our team is building an entirely new (seperate from our Local 49 page) website for this campaign – one that will allow you to share your stories, provide you information on Right To Work and Prevailing Wage, get that information to our elected officials and your social networks, and many other things that will be important to our efforts

We have met with the leaders of the other building trades and there is strong interest from them in joining forces in this effort – we will continue to work with them, we are stronger together and these issues impact all of us

The new campaign website will be done this winter and rolled out. We are working with the other trades on putting together a joint organization to work on these efforts. This will all take time. We need to do this right, and this will be a long campaign. Do not lose patience, stick with us, and keep paying attention. The enemies of workers have spent decades on their campaign to destroy us, it will take time to stop their momentum, and start creating momentum of our own.

Keep checking www.local49.org for updates and more information. Attend your local Union meetings where I frequently give updates. Keep wearing your anti-RTW stickers and talking about this with family and friends. As we move forward, I will continue to keep you informed on our progress.

Local 49 is leading the way – I am extremely proud to work for a group of people that isn’t afraid to step up, and fight back. What we are doing is the start of something special, if we stick with it, keep grinding, we will look back on this time as the beginning of the resurgence of workers and the middle class.

Sandpiper update:

As many of you know, the Sandpiper pipeline project hit another snag a few weeks ago. This time, the Minnesota Court of Appeals ruled that the MN Public Utility Commission’s decision to grant the Certificate of Need was not legal due to a deviation from the original process-that is splitting up the CON and the Route Permitting processes-which was done last fall.

Well, the PUC met last week to begin trying to figure out how to fix this. They decided to hear from Enbridge, the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, and other groups that are formal parties to this decision (including the environmental groups) to seek advice on what to do next.

The formal statements are due on October 29th and we can expect another PUC hearing shortly thereafter. Remember, the PUC is currently debating the route fo
r Sandpiper and this could provide an opportunity to remedy this unfortunate misstep.

I know this sounds like a mess. It is. Local 49 has always advocated for sticking to the process so everyone is on the same page. The more procedural maneuvers that happen, the more this project gets muddied up. We don’t know what’s going to happen but will continue to push for rejoining the Certificate of Need and the Route Permitting processes to keep this project on track.

Polymet:

The Preliminary Final Environmental Impact Statement (PFEIS) is currently being reviewed by the various State and Federal Agencies that oversee mining projects. This winter, we expect the Final EIS to be released and, hopefully, we can start the permitting process and get this project off the ground.

The same groups that oppose Sandpiper are fighting us on Polymet. They will use any tactic to delay the process in hopes of stopping this new mining operation. As we saw with Sandpiper, they will stop at nothing. They create political and regulatory chaos purely for their own personal, extremist benefit.

We need to continue to stick together and fight for economic prosperity for all 49ers and their families. Stay tuned for opportunities to speak out on this issue-it will take every one of us to get this over the finish line.

Transportation:

Later this month, Congress will need to pass a highway bill. We have heard from leaders on both sides of the aisle that a 6 year bill is possible without raising the gas tax.

President Obama and a bipartisan group in Congress have proposed funding the Highway Trust Fund through a mechanism called “repatriation”. Right now, thousands of American corporations have parked about $2 TRILLION overseas in foreign earnings. Repatriation would give those companies a temporary tax break in order to get those earnings back in the American economy. This will generate $478 billion over the next six years.

We have a huge opportunity to actually pass a long-term bill that funds highway construction. Let’s just hope everyone in Washington can keep it together and do what’s right

Special Election Update:

This past summer, Representative David Dill (DFL-Crane Lake) passed away. David was a true friend to Local 49 and left some big shoes to fill. Last week was the DFL Primary in which 4 democrats vied for the endorsement. Although our union did not make an endorsement in this race, we became heavily involved when one of the candidates, Bill Hansen, a canoe outfitter from Ely, made some ignorant and offensive remarks about construction workers.

Mr. Hansen is a known anti-mining activist. On a video posted on his website, he said elaborated on why he is against new mining jobs. He said:

“We need the jobs. Jobs are important. But those aren’t the jobs we want. In this modern age, these projects are going to be man camps…that clear out the community, create a lot of crime, prostitution, gambling. All kinds of community problems and tend to drive out other sustainable jobs.”
The Trades rose up against Mr. Hansen when these statements came to light. Luckily, he w
as defeated in primary by Koochiching County Commissioner Rob Ecklund and will NOT be serving in the legislature. To read more about this story, check out the links below.

The ultimate choice when considering pipelines is whether we follow the advice of groups like Greenpeace and “turn back the clock” to the days when OPEC ministers determined our energy security, or improve control by handling our domestic energy resources for the good of North America.

Learn more about why Harry Melander the President of the Minnesota Building and Construction Trades Council and William Blazar, the Senior VP of Public Affairs & Business Development at the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, are urging decision makers to carefully weigh the costs and benefits of pipeline development in Minnesota.

Beginning in 1973, headlines announcing the results of a meeting of OPEC ministers often sent shockwaves through the American economy. From the founding of the nation until that time, the United States had never been beholden to other nations in determining our economic well-being.

It took almost 40 years, but we are finally on the verge of reclaiming control of our energy future and, consequently, protecting American energy security. In 2017, the United States will be the largest oil and natural gas producing nation in the world. By 2023, we can be 100-percent independent in North America with our trading partner and neighbor Canada.

Achieving this independence has not been easy, and more remains to be done. Minnesota, for example, has been at the end of every petroleum supply pipeline since the early 20th century as crude oil arrived here from southern sources in Texas, Oklahoma, the Gulf of Mexico and abroad. As a result, pipelines were constructed to move oil from south to north. Today the vast sources of oil and natural gas produced in North Dakota and Canada promise to put us near the front of the pipeline, if the infrastructure is retooled to allow it.

Enbridge has proposed expansions of its pipeline system that extends from both Alberta and the Bakken Field in North Dakota to refineries that produce motor fuel and other products that are sold in Minnesota. These expansions will dramatically increase capacity and take us one more step toward North American energy independence.

Enbridge’s effort is not without controversy and has detractors across Minnesota. Opponents of expansions fall into two categories. The first group is comprised of local groups supported with slanted information and financial support from international organizations like Greenpeace and the Natural Resources Defense Council. These local groups, in turn, attempt to create unsupported fears about pipeline expansions to incite opposition to the delivery of North American crude oil. The second group is comprised of landowners and our communities along the pipeline route. We believe these folks deserve the truth.

The questions raised by community leaders and citizens about pipeline safety are reasonable; and, the answers are straightforward and clear. Pipelines are the safest means of transporting crude oil with a 99.999-percent success rate, according to industry statistics. Thousands of miles of pipeline in Minnesota deliver crude oil 24/7/365. And, new pipeline proposals like the Sandpiper project that will cross northern Minnesota will include the most modern safety technologies available.

As you weigh the costs and benefits of pipeline development, please review the facts. As representatives of the skilled craft workers and businesses located in every corner of Minnesota, we have reviewed the facts and the science because our members build these projects or provide services as vendors of equipment, food, lodging, etc. Our members hear what landowners are saying, and we are confident their concerns can be addressed.

However, we are also hearing from Minnesotans everywhere that having access to North Dakota and Canadian energy resources safely delivered will increase employment and improve the economy. The ultimate choice is whether we follow the advice of groups like Greenpeace and “turn back the clock” to the days when OPEC ministers determined our energy security.

Right to work’s true purpose is to hurt the ability of unions to advocate for all workers and serve as a check on corporate greed – to restore the way our economy runs so the profits are shared fairly, not showered on Wall Street and mega-corporations.

Local 49 urges Operators and all other working Americans to learn more about so-called ‘right to work’ and get involved at www.wrongforeveryone.org.

Hundreds of our members were proud to share their invaluable experiences as builders of our nations pipelines during the public comment period.

Quote from Jason George – Local 49 Special Projects Director on the need for Sandpiper:

“Northern Minnesota needs the thousands of family sustaining construction jobs; local governments need the tax revenue; local businesses need the economic boost; and we all need to get more oil off of our rail system and safely into pipelines – Minnesota needs to build the Sandpiper Pipeline.”